Midland Shared Spaces opens with 11 nonprofits

Sam Palmer and Preston Palmer move a desk inside the Recording Library of West Texas offices Friday at the Shared Spaces building. James Durbin/Reporter-Telegram

Sam Palmer and Preston Palmer move a desk inside the Recording Library of West Texas offices Friday at the Shared Spaces building. James Durbin/Reporter-Telegram

Photo: JAMES DURBIN

Photo: JAMES DURBIN

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Sam Palmer and Preston Palmer move a desk inside the Recording Library of West Texas offices Friday at the Shared Spaces building. James Durbin/Reporter-Telegram

Sam Palmer and Preston Palmer move a desk inside the Recording Library of West Texas offices Friday at the Shared Spaces building. James Durbin/Reporter-Telegram

Photo: JAMES DURBIN

Midland Shared Spaces opens with 11 nonprofits

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The long-awaited Midland Shared Spaces opened its doors at 3500 N. “A” St. last week with 11 nonprofit organizations housed under one roof.

The shared facility, intended to increase collaboration among nonprofits, has been under construction since early 2013. Led by the Abell-Hanger Foundation, the initiative has raised nearly $10.5 million by more than 40 funders. The building comprises 42,000 square feet and has space for 13 nonprofits.

Currently, Agape Ministries, Camp Fire, Family Promise of Midland, Keep Midland Beautiful, Midland Opera Theater, Midland Shared Spaces, Mission Adult Day Services, Nonprofit Management Center of the Permian Basin, Safe Place of the Permian Basin, S.H.A.R.E. and the Recording Library of West Texas are housed in the building. Sixty employees work for these 11 nonprofits.

The idea for a shared nonprofit facility is to offer a discounted rent by maintaining separate office spaces but sharing the cost of common areas, office supplies and IT services. Midland Shared Spaces will provide shared telephones, color copiers and IT services. Tenants will pay a discounted rent of $8 per square foot per year and share common areas such as a commercial kitchen, break rooms, conference rooms and a community room for lectures and banquets.

Each nonprofit’s office size is different — Mission Adult Day Services occupies the largest space, with nearly 9,000 square feet, and Midland Opera Theater has the smallest, with a one-room office. All of the nonprofits worked with architects during construction of the building to design their spaces, said Mark Palmer, special projects manager for the Abell-Hanger Foundation.

The building is “environmentally green,” with LED lighting, shared servers, trees to be planted around the perimeter and other conveniences, Palmer said. The lawn outside the building can hold more than 1,000 people and will serve as a space for fundraisers, shows and other events held by the nonprofits.

Most of the furniture is new, with a few pieces donated. The building also includes two “flex offices” that can be leased by nonprofits — including those that are not tenants at Midland Shared Spaces — for up to one year.

The building has space for two more tenants. The two open suites both include three offices, a reception area and a workroom. Applicants will undergo a vetting process by the Midland Shared Spaces board and must be able to promote and support the nonprofit community. To apply, contact executive director Vicki Jay at vjay@midlandsharedspaces.org.